Pennsylvania Has One of the Safest Cities for Climate Change

A new study is out that points out a handful of cities that are the best and worst for climate change in the United States. As it turns out, Pennsylvania has one of the safest cities for climate change.

Did you know that the last decade, 2011-2020, was the hottest on record? That's according to a fresh report from from the World Meteorological Organization. The report, released late last year at the COP28 conference in Dubai, also stated that, "continued rising concentrations of greenhouse gases fueled record land and ocean temperatures and turbo-charged a dramatic acceleration in ice melt and sea level rise." It also states that "extreme events across the decade had devastating impacts, particularly on food security, displacement and migration, hindering national development and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."

What's more, 2024 is on target to be the hottest year ever, according to this report. I'm not surprised, as last winter was extremely mild throughout most of the U.S. Also, extreme weather events such as hurricanes and flooding are becoming more common. The information in this report comes from "physical data analyses and impact assessments" from experts at National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, Regional Climate Centres, National Statistics Offices and United Nations partners.

Online insurance marketplace Policygenius analyzed the 50 largest U.S. cities to find out which will be most and least impacted cities for climate change by 2050. "The factors analyzed included heat and humidity, flooding and sea level rise, air quality, and frequency of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, social vulnerability, and community resilience," they explain. For the cities ranked the most at risk, most of them are actually down South in the Sunbelt. Four of those cities are in Florida, and the others are in Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, California and Virginia. The worst city is Houston, Texas. Here are the cities that are the worst for climate change, according to Policygenius:

So, what about the best? The best city in America for climate change, and the major safe haven, is San Francisco, California. But, Pennsylvania is on this list, too. We're at No. 8 with Pittsburgh. Find the full tally of the best cities for climate change below. These cities are the best for climate change, states Policygenius:

If you're someone who dislikes the snow and ice, then you probably have been loving this winter. Warmer temperatures have flourished throughout the U.S., including in Pennsylvania. But, that also means more bugs and ticks. Moreover, tick bites aren't something to take lightly. Now, health agencies across America are warning that this year's tick season is going to be extra bad.

So, why will there be more ticks this season? It's simple. A warmer winter means that the tick population didn't die off like it would have in freezing temperatures. That means there are going to be way more ticks attacking both humans and pets.

What makes ticks so dangerous? They could be carrying the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease. "The bacterium can be transmitted by the blacklegged tick, if infected," the Michigan DNR says on its website. They add that it's "the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States." Moreover, the Pennsylvania Department of Health notes that ticks can also cause Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis, Powassan Virus, STARI, Alpha-gal Syndrome and Borrelia miyamotoi disease. Not cool.

So, what exactly is a tick? It's an arthropod, like a spider. "Ticks have 8 legs, are very small, and attach to a person or animal to suck blood. In Pennsylvania, many ticks carry diseases," the Pennsylvania Department of Health notes. "Ticks can be found anywhere: outdoors in areas with long grasses and weeds, leaf piles, the woods, and even in your own yard." That said, it's important to protect yourself and avoid tick bites. That doesn't mean you have to totally avoid going outdoors. But, you need to be cautious. I love being outdoors in the warm months, and I also live near the woods. So, I'm going to be extra mindful of ticks this season. Here are some expert tips I'm following, and you should, too.

If you're going outdoors, make sure to take precautions. The Pennsylvania Department of Health suggests treating clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. "Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing and camping gear and remain protective through several washings," they state. Also, use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. Finally, wear light-colored clothing.

Of course, the best thing to do is to avoid any contact with ticks. So, try to avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass or fallen leaves. If you are in those areas, walk in the center of the trails. Just stay away from that tall grass at all costs.

When you get inside, check your clothing for tickets. Remove any tickets that you find. Also, "Tumble dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors," according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. They also suggest to examine gear and pets, shower soon after being outdoors and check your body for ticks after being outdoors. Finally, shower as soon as you come indoors.

When you come indoors, do that full body check for ticks. They tend to hide under the arms; in and around the ears; inside belly button; back of the knees; in and around the hair; between the legs; and around the waist. That's according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Take it seriously if you get a tick bite. "If you develop a rash or fever within a month of removing a tick, see your doctor as soon as possible," the Michigan DNR says. "Be sure to tell your doctor about your recent tick bite and when the bite occurred."

If you get a tick bite, above all, remain calm. It can be scary, but if you catch it in time, there are things that can help. That's why it's so important to do early detection and look all over your body and clothes after being outdoors. So, you don't have to say no to going out doors, but say no to ticks.